Here is the latest press release from Kona Brewing, in which they unveil their latest packaging for Longboard Lager. Below the press release are my thoughts on Kona’s rapid fire succession of new packaging. Cheers

Kailua-Kona, Big Island of Hawaii, April 15, 2013… Building on strong growth numbers from 2012, Kona Brewing Company will soon be showing an updated look to beer drinkers this spring. In late April 2013, the entire line of Kona brews will have a new 12oz. bottle built and embossed with a Hawaiian island chain and “Liquid Aloha” lettering, complete with refreshed labels and packaging. The new look will extend across the entire portfolio of beers including Longboard Island Lager, Big Wave Golden Ale, Fire Rock Pale Ale and all Aloha Series beers such as Wailua Wheat returning May of 2013. The new bottles showcase the Hawaiian island chain as an embossed feature on the shoulder, and newly illustrated die cut labels accentuate Hawaii’s natural landscape of volcanic mountains, lush vegetation and of course, beaches. The new bottles will be in stores in all 36 states where Kona beer is sold beginning April 22, 2013.

Kona Brewing’s design team, who has been designing the Hawaiian brewer’s packaging since it was born on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1994, reillustrated the labels and packaging with updated design cues. As part of the package re-design, the hand-drawn illustrations have been sharpened and the labels are die-cut to add pop to natural elements such as iconic Diamond Head, the roaring waves at Makaha, and lush Wailua Falls of Maui.

“Our continued growth in 2012 has enabled us to invest in our packaging and put our best foot forward as we gain new fans. We’re delivering more of that sense of place that Kona is known for, and I think this new bottle and package really brings Hawaii home,” said Kona Brewing company president Mattson Davis. “While most brewers use the same mold for their bottles, Kona Brewing is taking a giant leap to have a custom one built. The new labels really mimic the vivid hues I’m lucky enough to see everyday in Hawaii. My favorite design element is the embossed island chain with Liquid Aloha on the shoulder of the bottle—it makes for a more tactile experience because you can literally feel Hawaii as you drink a Kona brew,” he said.

As well as feeling different, the design of the new 12oz. bottle has slimmed down its overall profile, thereby making shipping more efficient and less taxing on the planet. In 2010, the company reduced the weight of Kona bottles by 11%, which translated to 3,375 tons of carbon dioxide being eliminated from the air, and was equivalent to taking 638 cars off the road for a year. Similarly, the new Kona bottle is now an additional 5% lighter and will eliminate another 2,718 tons of C02, and is equivalent to taking 514 cars off the road for a year.

Kona’s official kickoff to the new bottles will be held at their pubs in Hawaii the week of April 22nd. The bottles will then be made available on the mainland and kicked off stateside with a giant sand sculpture to be built in Newport Beach, CA by Sand Guys, stars of the Travel Channel show Sand Masters. The sculpture will be built at the Kona-sponsored event Standup for the Cure, a world-class standup paddling fundraiser for Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to be held on May 4, 2013 at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort. Last year’s Standup for the Cure set a Guinness World Record when more than 700 participants were involved in The World‘s Largest Stand Up Paddleboard Clinic, and this year the event aims to raise $125,000 for mammograms and cancer research.

Editor’s thoughts: Within the last month or two, Kona has released the Longboard Lager 24 oz. can and the Longboard Lager 24 oz. can, in addition to all their existing offerings such as 12 oz. cans, 12 packs and mixed 24 packs. Whether you like their beer or not, the influence AB/InBev has on Kona’s marketing cannot be ignored. Kona’s got a job, that’s selling their beer, but don’t be surprised that half of the super market shelf may one day be filled with a dozen different packages of Longboard Lager.